# 213. Are You Missing Out on Better Federal Benefits? Advice from Tammy Flanagan Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/fedupward-podcast-tips-for-federal-government-employees-624290/213-are-you-missing-out-on-better-federal-benefits-advice-from-tammy-flanagan Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/fedupward-podcast-tips-for-federal-government-employees-624290/213-are-you-missing-out-on-better-federal-benefits-advice-from-tammy-flanagan.md Podcast: [FedUpward Podcast - Tips for Federal Government Employees](https://stenobird.com/podcast/fedupward-podcast-tips-for-federal-government-employees-624290) Published: 2025-08-01T18:53:00+00:00 Episode link: https://fedupward.libsyn.com/213-are-you-missing-out-on-better-federal-benefits-advice-from-tammy-flanagan Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/fedupward/Tammy_Flanagan_Mixdown_1.mp3?dest-id=1392413 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/fedupward-podcast-tips-for-federal-government-employees-624290/episodes/213-are-you-missing-out-on-better-federal-benefits-advice-from-tammy-flanagan Duration seconds: 974 ## Resource Federal benefits expert Tammy Flanagan is here to share essential tips for making smarter insurance choices, navigating open season, and preparing for retirement. Learn how to avoid common mistakes, understand Medicare decisions, and use tools like the Checkbook Guide and OPM plan comparison to save money and boost your coverage. 00:00 – Intro 00:49 – Tammy Flanagan on Planning for Open Season Early 03:32 – Tools to Compare and Choose the Right Federal Health Plan 05:55 – Common Mistakes Feds Make with Insurance and Medicare 09:15 – What to Know About Health Coverage in Early Retirement 12:01 – Why NARFE Advocacy Matters and How to Get Involved Regardless of if you're early in your career or planning retirement, this episode will help you get the most from your federal benefits. Helpful Resources: Learn more about NARFE: https://www.narfe.org Visit OPM's plan comparison tool: https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information Meet with Tammy: https://plan-your-federal-retirement.com/talking-with-tammy/ Work with Love: www.fedupwardcoaching.com Connect with Love: LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/love-rutledge Facebook: facebook.com/fedupward ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/fedupward-podcast-tips-for-federal-government-employees-624290/episodes/213-are-you-missing-out-on-better-federal-benefits-advice-from-tammy-flanagan/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/fedupward-podcast-tips-for-federal-government-employees-624290/213-are-you-missing-out-on-better-federal-benefits-advice-from-tammy-flanagan.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.